This invention relates to a support for a conveyor belt. Conveyor belts, at loading points, can be subjected to considerable impact forces. For example a conveyor belt which carries ore may be expected to withstand the impact of rocks with a nominal size in excess of 150 mm falling through heights of up to 4 meters. The impact force on a conveyor belt carrying in excess of 2000 tons per hour may therefore be substantial and, unless adequate measures are taken, the belt or the supporting structure may be damaged.
Shock absorbing devices, which are used to overcome the aforementioned adverse effects, must physically be of a size which enable them to be installed in the available space. In certain installations space is at a premium and, as a general rule, it can be said that the width of a shock absorbing system should not exceed the width of the normal supporting structure of the belt.
Another factor is that an impact absorbing structure, under normal operating conditions, should not affect the height of a belt once it has been set to a desired or optimum operating level.
Furthermore, it is frequently necessary to load a conveyor belt at or near a tail pulley, i.e. in a region where the belt is in transition from the flat tail pulley to the fully troughed carrying condition. A shock absorbing device should, therefore, provide a means of adjustment which takes into account the changing cross-sectional arrangement of the belt in the load zone.